NUG considers restructuring several ministries into directorates

Mizzima

Sources close to the National Unity Government (NUG) have revealed that the NUG is considering a plan to restructure several of its ministries into directorates as part of an ongoing internal reform process.

The NUG currently comprises 17 ministries led by 16 ministers and 17 deputy ministers. However, it remains unclear which ministries will be restructured, as discussions are still underway, according to sources who spoke to Mizzima.

“We’re not sure how many ministries will remain; nothing has been confirmed yet,” one source said.

Another source confirmed that the NUG’s reform committee has submitted a proposal to the Committee Representing the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH) recommending the conversion of certain ministries into directorates.

“Many discussions are circulating, but the list of ministries set for conversion has not yet been made public. The CRPH is expected to release the information first,” the source added.

NUG Minister for Women, Youth and Children’s Affairs Naw Susanna Hla Hla Soe has reportedly resigned, and her ministry is expected to be restructured into a directorate under new leadership, according to the same source.

Mizzima reached out to Naw Susanna Hla Hla Soe via email for confirmation but has not yet received a response. When contacted, U Nay Phone Latt, spokesperson for the NUG Prime Minister’s Office, said details of the restructuring would be announced at an appropriate time.

“There is nothing to comment on at the moment. We will announce the NUG reform at the appropriate time,” he told Mizzima on 4 November.

As of July, the NUG had 10 ministers and deputy ministers operating in Kachin State and Sagaing Region in northern Myanmar, eight in Karen State, Mon State, and Tanintharyi Region in the south, and six stationed in border areas, according to Mizzima’s data.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD), Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration (MOHAI), Ministry of Health (MOH), Ministry of Education (MOE), Ministry of Federal Union Affairs (MOFUA), Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management (MOHADM), Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation (MONREC), and Ministry of Labor (MOL) are currently operating in liberated areas, according to the NUG Prime Minister’s Office.

The NUG has emphasized that its ministers remain active on the ground, responding to public and revolutionary criticism as the government undertakes its reform efforts.

Formed on 16 April 2021, the National Unity Government includes President U Win Myint, Acting President Duwa Lashi La, State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and Union Prime Minister Mahn Win Khaing Than among its top leaders.